Take Flight with 5 Wonderful Wing Chairs

byCarla JordanonJuly 25, 2013

Chicago family room with super cool wing chair, Traditional Home.com

If furniture were family, the wing chair would be mom. Welcoming and comfy (think big hug), this chair debuted in late 1600’s England as a solution to a big problem–trying to stay warm when sitting around in drafty houses heated only by fireplaces (no central heat back then!). With their unique silhouette (high back, low seat, protruding wings), these sensible seats effectively kept the back and sides of the body draft-free while also giving protection from over-exposure to roaring fireplaces. Aptly dubbed “fireside chairs,” wing chairs did their job without much fashion fanfare…until now.

Today’s wing chairs blend function with fashion like never before. They wing it across the style spectrum (traditional, modernist, cottage, European Country and more) so well that they look good anyplace, anywhere. Makes me think Mom was right all along when she said that wing chairs are the most perfect chair of them all.

To make her dining room a spot to not only gather but linger long past dessert, actress Reese Witherspoon opted for a mix of comfy 18th century Swedish wing chairs and custom-made leather benches.

Bonham wing chair from Sam Moore

Sheathed in chic blue and finished with dressmaker details like button-tufting and piping trim, the Bonham wing chair will add a feminine touch to your home office or even your bedroom.

Suzanni print fabrics like this one on the Micah wing chair from Sam Moore Furniture are perfect for waking up living rooms that have hit the neutral zone snooze button once too often.

Micah wing chair from Sam Moore Furniture

The Zizi wing chair rewrites the script on style with modernist wings and clever type-font fabric.